With You
by smileplease91
Summary: She had failed him once. Had the gods decided to give her another chance to be with him?
1. Rewrite

_*Hello, everyone! For those who have been following "A Day in the Life", I had made a couple of postings about Lucina X M!Morgan. I decided I would write a fanfic all of its own. Hope you enjoy!*_

She had never expected for the portal to have taken her directly to her father and aunt. It was a rather fortunate occurrence that it had done so, for Lissa would have died if not for her. As much as she wanted to embrace them, she held back and retreated when reinforcements arrived. From the distance, she watched as familiar faces fought the Risen, her mask concealing the heartache she experienced. Yet, this was what she had come for: To prevent her future from ever happening.

Which was why, nearly a month later, she challenged the Shepherds personally. Her mother had yet to arrive into the army, and she longed to see her as well. It was odd as she faced Chrom, both firmly gripping on their Falchions. He had yet to know, and quite frankly, she was amazed she kept her secrets for so long. She fought him to test if he could accomplish what was to come, and joy filled her heart to see that he held nothing back. He fought with all he had, with Robin by his side. Defeated, she retreated to receive medical attention, mulling over the events of the day. Her mind stopped when she thought about the small woman whom had fought with Chrom: Robin. She looked so young. Her long, brown hair cascaded down her back, a small bow on each side. She had almost forgotten that her husband hadn't appeared yet as well, and it was different to see him not with her.

The next time she saw them was when they had to rescue Emmeryn. She had never intended to reveal her face, but it was an unfortunate accident. Somehow, no one pieced it together who she really was. By this time, both her mother and the man Robin would marry were in the Shepherds. Amazed at her father's ties to so many people, she was glad to see he could still entice courage in the hearts of man to join in his cause. She stood in the hallway leading to the room which Emmeryn hid in, Parallel Falchion withdrawn, prepared to do all she could in order to save her aunt. What surprised her was when Stahl, Lissa, Frederick, Kellam, and Sully joined her, Lissa behind them all, staff in hand.

"We got your back, Marth!" Stahl grinned as he glanced at her. She had taken on that name when she crossed over. She was nothing like the legendary hero, but the name had suddenly popped into her mind when she was asked of it.

She nodded at him in gratuity. "I appreciate it."

When the battle was over and Emmeryn was safe, she had intended to vanish again, but Emmeryn stopped her. In her future, she had never met her. She had heard stories of her beauty, grace, and magnanimity, and now that she was before her, she was unsure on what to do or say. The Exalt simply smiled as she extended her hand to the young woman.

"My siblings tell me of your courage," she spoke. "This is not the first time you have come to our aid."

Lucina shook her head, a smile forming as she took hold of her hand. "No, Your Grace, it is not."

Emmeryn shook her hand gently but firmly. "Allow us to reward you. What is it you desire?"

_To be with everyone again. _"I am grateful for the offer, Your Excellency, but I must decline," she replied.

The blonde-haired Exalt appeared quizzical. "Surely there is something you need? And, please, just call me Emmeryn."

Chrom stepped up, sheathing Falchion. "This may be too bold of me, but perhaps you would like to join us, Marth." Lucina's body felt as though it shattered like glass, but she kept her composure. "Your valiance is astounding, and you fight as well as the rest of us. We could use someone like you."

Lucina could only stare at her father, unable to breathe. She had wanted this all along… to be with her family again. Her mother appeared beside Chrom, her hand on his shoulder. The curly, blonde Troubadour's eyes scanned Lucina from top to bottom, as if she were studying her. When she saw the way Maribelle looked at Chrom, all her worries were put to ease. Perhaps they weren't married yet, but love was there. Her eyes moved from person to person. Robin and her future husband were having their wounds healed by Lissa while the rest of the Shepherds talked amongst themselves. Her hand went up to her chest, where a piece of cloth lay hidden under her clothes. In an instant, her mind was made up.

"I will join you."

At camp, Chrom had Robin and Ricken show her around. For a while, Lucina remained silent as she trailed behind the Tactician and Mage, whom explained the different areas and the chores she would share with the rest of the soldiers. They then led her to a tent and stopped in front of it.

"This is your tent, Marth," Robin informed. "You'll be sharing it with-"

"Me!" Lissa beamed as she popped out of it, scaring Lucina so badly, she jumped. "Haha, sorry, Marth! Did I scare you?"

"N-not at all," Lucina panted, trying to catch her breath.

"We'll have all sorts of fun!" Lissa excitedly spoke. "We'll swap stories, talk about our crushes, and just have girl talk!"

Lucina couldn't help but to giggle at her aunt's enthusiasm. "Sounds like fun, Lissa."

"We'll leave you two at it," Ricken laughed as he and Robin turned to walk away.

"Er, wait a moment!" Lucina called out to them, making them stop. "Um… I know this must be a weird question, but is anyone in this army… married?"

"Ooo, into gossip, are we?" Lissa beamed. "You came to the right place! Robin, Ricken, you two can go. I'll give her the details."

"Somehow, Lissa, I knew we could count on you," Robin monotonously stated. Lissa and Lucina walked into the tent, where the blonde princess let down her hair and began to brush it.

"Okay, so here's who is interested in whom!" she began. "Chrom and Maribelle are getting hitched when this war is over. I'm totally excited she's going to be my sister-in-law! We've been close for years! Stahl and Sully have been best friends since childhood, so if those two get married, it'll be no surprise." Lucina merely blinked. Stahl and Sully? That's not how she remembered it. "Hmm… Oh! Ricken is completely smitten with Robin. She's the same with him, too, but they're so shy! It's kinda cute, but they make you want to walk up to them and force them to kiss already!" Lissa stopped a moment, as if thinking. "I think that's it, really."

Lucina sighed to herself. Everything was so different. Of course, not all had joined the Shepherds yet. Perhaps when they did, things would work out like she knew them to.

"What about you?" she asked Lissa, even though she knew who she would end up with. A certain white-haired Dark Mage would win her heart. "Isn't anyone interested in you?"

"Nope!" Lissa replied. "Are you kidding me? I don't think anyone could handle this much excitement!"

Lucina let out a laugh. If one thing was the same, it was Lissa's spunk. "I'm sure someone will be able to one day."

"Aww, aren't you just a sweetie!" Lissa smiled. Lucina smiled back at her. She had missed this.

Nighttime was always the hardest for her. She would think too much about those she left behind and the ones she failed. Her arms longed to embrace her family, but she remained strong. Meeting Robin only made her feel worse about her failures. Always, before she went to sleep, she would take the cloth from the inside of her shirt and hold it in her hands, the familiar pattern heartbreaking. Empty, broken promises that blew away with the wind. A smiling face that only existed in her dreams. A future she walked away from to save the past.

They believed in her. It was time she started believing in herself.


	2. Letters to Home

_*A/N: For those who review under guest, I will reply to you here._

_Guest (Long time reader): Thank you very much! I'm glad you've been reading my writings for so long. Whoever you are, kind soul, you have my thanks._

_Guest (Lolrus555): I'll do my best! Thank you as well!*_

It was _painful_ to see the two so much in love but completely oblivious to each other's feelings. Lucina had taken it upon herself to play matchmaker for everyone when they had downtime in the camp that seemed to struggle. Gaius and Sumia had married shortly after Lucina was taken in, and Donnel and Nowi were getting married within a week or so. Kellam and Miriel had already married when she arrived, and while she (as well as everyone else) had a difficult time keeping a visual on Kellam, Miriel never faltered.

But, _those_ two. Gods above.

He was so in love with her, it made Lucina nearly gag just to see the way he looked at Robin. During battles, he never left her side. The two were an amazing duo, really. While Lucina never participated in the fights (Robin designated her camp guard for the time being), she had seen the way they fought together when they saved Emmeryn. She knew she had to talk to Robin about him. For a week, she struggled with the idea until it was the day of Donnel and Nowi's wedding. After the ceremony, the red-haired Mage had asked for Robin to dance with him; Lucina watched as the small woman timidly shook her head. The young man simply smiled at her and walked over to the newlyweds, congratulating them on their nuptials.

_That's it. That's all I can stand_, Lucina told herself. She made her way to Robin and stood beside her, all her courage mustered for this moment. She pecked her on the shoulder, and when Robin turned around, she smiled at her.

"Well, hello, Marth!" she greeted.

"Hello, Robin," Lucina exchanged. "Pardon the intrusion, but I couldn't help but notice that."

Robin's head titled to the side. "Notice what?"

"_That_," Lucina answered, nudging her head toward the Mage.

"Oh," Robin blushed. "I hope I didn't hurt his feelings."

"Why didn't you take his hand?" Lucina questioned. "He's an extraordinary young man, you know."

"I know that," Robin nearly whispered. "I wanted to, believe me. I just…" Her tint of blush brightened. "I can't dance."

For a moment, Lucina stared at her. Just as Robin started to feel uncomfortable, Lucina let out a small giggle. "Is that all? I'm sure he doesn't care!"

"C-Come on, Marth… don't laugh at me," Robin stammered, her blush now spreading to her ears, her eyes avoiding her. "I just don't want to embarrass him. I really like him."

Lucina pointed at Vaike and Panne. "If Panne is still sticking by Vaike after that atrocity he considers dancing, then I'm sure you'll be fine." She crossed her arms. "It's not like he cares how you dance, Robin. He just wants to have fun with you."

Robin's eyes finally focused on the Mage, her blush gone. A smile took form. "You're right! You're absolutely right!" She gave Lucina a playful shove. "Thanks, Marth! Wish me luck!" She took a step forward, her shoulders seemingly broader than before. "Hey, Ricken!"

Ricken turned around to see Robin already there. He smiled at her, a slightly embarrassed look on his face. "Y-Yes, Robin?"

"About that dance-"

"Oh, geez, I've embarrassed you, haven't I?" he sighed. "I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that."

Robin laughed. "Not at all! Actually, I wanted to take you up on that."

Lucina could see Ricken's face light up almost instantly. "Really?! Oh, that's great! Truth be told, I can't dance, but hey, I can't be any worse off than Vaike!"

"I heard that, you little snot!" Vaike called out from the other side of the tent, making Ricken wince and Robin laugh again. The Tactician took hold of Ricken's hand, blush once again creeping on her cheeks.

"Don't worry, I can't dance, either. We'll just look like fools together."

Ricken smiled warmly at her. "Sounds good to me."

At that moment, Chrom and Maribelle, who had been listening to their conversation, walked up to them, happiness on their faces.

"If you'd like, we can teach you," Chrom offered.

"Nobles are taught the form of dance at a very young age," Maribelle proudly beamed. "We would be honored to teach you."

Lucina merely observed in bliss as her father and mother began to show Robin and Ricken how to dance. Basilio sung loudly, and she was amazed to hear that he could carry quite the tune. Lon'qu stood quietly to the side, hoping that no woman would ask him to dance with her. As happy as she was, she couldn't help but to remember a time when she truly was exultant. It was when she danced with _him_. Messy red hair like his father's, a radiant smile that was always present on his face… She brought her hand up to her chest, where the piece of cloth rest under her shirt. It was all she had left of him. Her thoughts then focused on those she left behind. Were they all right? Perhaps they had found a way to this time as well?

"Well, look at you!" she heard Lissa speak behind her. She jumped slightly, unaware of her aunt's presence. "Maybe I should start calling you Matchmaker Marth."

"Please don't call me that," Lucina exhaled, her tone monotonous.

"Aww, you're no fun," Lissa winked at her. She then directed her attention to Ricken and Robin, still being taught by Chrom and Maribelle. "He's a sweetie, isn't he?"

"I suppose," Lucina agreed.

"Believe it or not, I had a crush on him when he first got here," Lissa confessed. "Sure, he's like… three years younger than me, but he is really nice. Next to Robin, though, I had no chance. She started encouraging him to write to his family, and from the get-go, he was enamored."

"Ah, someone else will come down the road later," Lucina told the truth; however, to Lissa, she was just being reassuring.

Several days after the wedding, everyone was pulling up camp to prepare to move on to the next destination when bandits suddenly charged the camp. Even though she always had plans for events such as this, chaos still ensued. Lucina fought alongside her mother and father, expertly wielding Parallel Falchion. Robin had managed to group everyone together, the mages focusing on the distance-fighters. Lucina noticed that Ricken was by Robin's side, and she felt relieved. Lissa had told her that when he had been recruited into the Shepherds, he was valiant; he had disobeyed Chrom's orders and went after the captured Maribelle, risking his life. She knew then where _he_ got it from.

But something went wrong. Behind her, she heard a grunt of pain, then Robin's horrified scream. Instantly, she wheeled around and ran to the two, killing the bandit firsthand. When she turned back around, the sight shocked her. Ricken was lying on the ground, a stab wound to his torso that exited through his back. Robin was on her knees beside him, her hands on his wound in vain effort to slow the bleeding. Tears streamed down her face as Ricken's left hand gripped her Plegian Robe tightly.

"Robin?!"

"He- he tried to protect me," Robin blubbered. "It went clean through!" She sniffled. "It- it's okay, Ricken. Shh, it's okay. You're going to be fine."

Lucina's heart nearly beat out of her chest, unsure on whether to stay and keep them safe or to find either Lissa or Maribelle. "Lissa!" she cried out loudly. "Mot- Maribelle!" _Gods_. In her panic, she nearly messed up.

"I see you! I'm coming!" she heard Lissa shout back. Lucina internally let out a sigh of relief. She planted herself in front of Robin and Ricken, Parallel Falchion extended before her. A bandit Mercenary had locked his eyes on her, but she would never let him pass. Behind her, she could hear that Lissa had arrived and was administering healing arts to Ricken. The Mercenary charged her, attacking with his sword. She parried as many attacks as she could and dodged the ones she could not. As she stepped back, her foot slipped on Ricken's tome, which made her unbalanced. The Mercenary managed to cut her arm, but that was all she would allow. In an instant, she steadied herself and rushed him.

"You will not stop me!" she yelled in fury as she delivered a killing blow. No more enemies were in sight, and she could hear the Shepherds cheer, signifying they had won. Lucina sheathed her blade and turned around, ignoring her wounded arm. Lissa had stopped the bleeding, but he was unconscious, pale, and breathed in short, jagged breaths. Robin held his hand as she wept; it occurred to Lucina that she had yet to see her cry, even in the future. She glanced down at Ricken's wound… and her fears dissipated. In her memories of the future, a jagged scar was seen.

"Robin," she whispered as she knelt down next to her, "we need to take him to the medical tent. It's still up."

"She's right," Lissa agreed. "Maribelle and I can help him better there."

Stahl rode up on his horse and hopped down, a deeply concerned look on his face. "I'll carry him."

He reached and gently took Ricken into his arms, Lissa still administering healing arts as they made their way to the medical tent. Lucina rose to her feet and started to trail behind them, but stopped when she noticed that Robin was still on her knees.

"Robin?"

Robin stared at the blood on her hands. "Marth… what if…"

Lucina knelt down once again next to Robin. "He won't."

"But you saw-"

"I know how bad it seems," Lucina interrupted, placing her hand on Robin's shoulder to comfort her, "but believe me when I say to you that he will survive."

Robin's eyes moved away from her bloodied hands to Lucina's eyes. She could see the truth in them, and it made the fear she felt fade away. She nodded, and she and Lucina rose to their feet and made their way to the medical tent.

It was just as Lucina had said. He pulled through the night and woke up the next day. Robin had refused to leave his side, and Lucina visited him after lunch. While he was weak, he sat up in bed and had a tired smile on his face. He was bare from the waist up except for his torso being wrapped up in bandages. His trademark Mage hat was on the nightstand next to the cot. Robin looked exhausted, but relief was all over her face.

"Heya, Marth," Ricken greeted in his usual uppity tone. "Robin told me about your awesome fighting yesterday. Thanks for protecting us."

Lucina blushed from humbleness. "It was nothing. I'm just glad to see you all right."

"Thanks to you," Robin smiled. "Sometimes, I forget just how versed you are in the way of the sword."

"What can I say? I had the best teacher anyone could ever ask for," Lucina stated proudly. "Well, I just wanted to see how you were, Ricken. I'll let you rest."

She turned around and walked to the door-

"M-Marth," she heard Robin call. She stopped and turned her head just enough to where she could see her. "Thank you."

Without having to even think about it, she knew what the Tactician was referring to. All was given was a nod, and she walked out the flap. Something told her to linger, so she did. As silently as she could, she peered through the crack and listened intently. Robin leaned closer to Ricken, her hand close to his hand.

"Is there anything you need, Ricken?"

"Nah, I'm good. You should really get some rest, though. You look beat." Robin shook her head. "Robin, really. I'm fine. Please, you need sleep."

"I'm fine, too," she countered. "It's my fault this happened to you. I should do better, especially since I'm the tactician of this whole army."

"You've got too much on you as is," Ricken sighed.

"Not since you came into the picture," the brown-haired woman smiled. "Sometimes I worry I put too much on you."

"What, are you kidding?" Ricken winked, a slight chuckle in his voice. "I'd rather have all these little side jobs than strategizing for every single scenario any day!" He leaned his head back against the pillow, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

"You all right? Don't push yourself too hard."

"I'm fine. It's just… I still haven't written to my parents."

"Still? Ricken, they must be worried sick!"

Ricken closed his eyes. "What am I supposed to say? I can't tell them half of what's going on."

"They need to know about this, for sure," Robin suggested. "What if the only thing they had ever heard was your death? Think about that."

"Gods, Robin, get all gloom and despair on me."

"It's true."

Ricken opened his eyes and focused them on her. "Yeah, you're probably right. I don't know. I just don't want them to worry about me. You do too much of that as it is." He then took hold of Robin's hand, which directly made her eyes widen and cheeks turn red. "Sorry for yesterday. I didn't mean to make you cry like that."

"I-I wasn't crying!"

"You totally were!" Ricken laughed, wincing in pain, his other hand on his stomach. Robin stuck her tongue out at him, making him laugh harder. "Hahah- ow! Ow! Robin, don't make me laugh so hard! It hurts!"

"That's what you get for making fun of me," she pouted.

Ricken's eyes turned warm as they lingered on her for a moment. "You know… I think I got it. What I'm going to write to them about."

"You do? What is it?" Robin asked, excited for him.

This time, it was his cheeks that turned red. "You."

Robin jerked, obviously shocked. "M-Me?"

"Mm-hm! I'll have a lot to say, too. Like, how we met-"

"How we learned to dance. Oh, and how I would come up with these crazy stories for you to write them about," Robin giggled.

"Right? And how I fell in love with you," Ricken blurted out.

Lucina nearly fell over.

"_About time, wouldn't you say?" _

She _did_ fall over. Scared to death, she turned around to see Lissa, a mischievous grin on her face.

"_Lissa!"_

"_Shh! You're gonna give us away!"_

"_Just how long have you been here?"_

"_Ohhh, since you decided to eavesdrop," _ Lissa beamed. _"Now, hush! I don't wanna miss this!"_

Robin's eyes were wide, and her mouth was hung open. It was visible that she was trying to process the words he had just said to her. Ricken smiled in embarrassment as he messed with the back of his hair.

"Sorry about that. Kinda just slipped out. Ignore that."

Robin finally blinked, and before she could stop herself, she kissed him, this time surprising him. She saw the stun on his face, and she let out a giggle.

"Sorry about that. Kinda just happened. Ignore that," she imitated him.

Lucina had to hold Lissa's mouth shut, as she was absolutely having a field day. Ricken laughed at Robin's reciprocation of his remark, leaning his forehead onto her forehead. She laced her fingers between his.

"Yeah, you could write to them about all that. But, just be sure to include the part where I fell in love with you, too," she smiled.

Lucina decided to give the two privacy, which resorted to her dragging Lissa away from the tent flap. When they were far enough away where they wouldn't be heard, she uncovered Lissa's mouth.

"But, Maaaaaarth! I wasn't through eavesdropping yet!"

A smile spread on Lucina's face. Her matchmaking business was starting to pay off.


	3. Emmeryn

_*Sorry if this chapter has mistakes or stuff in it. I am sick and medicated, so, yeah! Bear with me, por favor! ^_^*_

She sat alone in her tent, the cloth held in her hands as tears spilt down her face. She had failed. Emmeryn was gone, and she had failed her father and aunt. Lissa and Chrom were both being consoled by Maribelle, and Robin had run off before anyone could check on her. Ricken trailed behind, hoping to catch up with her. The camp was sullen, and sobs could be heard all around. People were comforting each other the best they could, yet… she had no one to comfort her. She had hoped the cloth would help some, as it normally did whenever she was down, but this time, it only made the pain sharper.

"Marth?" she heard at the tent flap. "May I come in?"

She recognized that voice. It shouldn't have surprised her, as he was always so kind, but it did. "If you wish, Stahl."

Stahl moved the tent flap to the side and stepped inside. His eyes were full of sorrow and compassion as they studied her. In merely seconds, she knew he would have her figured out- her feelings, that is. "It's not fair that you have no one to lend you a shoulder in a time such as this." He smiled tenderly at her. "You've helped us countless times. Let me return the favor."

Lucina looked away from Stahl, feeling guilty. "You don't have to do this. I'm just a stranger."

The man in green armor shook his head. "You're no stranger. You're one of us." He walked to her and sat down beside her on the bed. "I know you've lost someone dear to you before this, so I imagine Emmeryn's death to bring those memories back to you."

She noticed he was glancing at the cloth in her hands. Instantly, she wanted to kick herself for not remembering to put it away. Yet, she figured he more than likely knew this even without the cloth in her hands. "I lost the three most important people in my life, Stahl… My parents, and a young man whom I never revealed my true feelings for." Her fingers rubbed the cloth gently, which had a Plegian symbol on it. "I failed them, and I failed Emmeryn, too. I failed this entire army…"

"Marth, don't blame yourself for this," Stahl's voice nearly begged. "You're too young to have this much weight on your shoulders."

"But Chrom believed in me," she nearly choked on her words. "I let him down… again."

"You let _no one_ down," Stahl reassured. "We all tried, but sometimes… things don't go the way we expect them to. And it hurts, because of how hard we tried." He stared ahead, a faint smile on his face. "No matter what, though, we have to keep going. To honor Emmeryn's memory, we have to help Chrom finish what she started." Lucina's eyes focused on Stahl, realizing he was right about everything. "I think that would make her happy, don't you?"

"Yeah," Lucina shakily replied, a saddened smile on her face. "I think so, too." She reached her arm around Stahl's shoulders and gave him a small embrace. Other than the man she loved, his son was one of the dearest people to her; due to their friendship, she had gotten to know Stahl very well before his death in the future, and seeing him brought her happiness. "Thank you, Stahl."

"No thanks needed. I'm glad to help out a friend," Stahl smiled as he stood up. "Get some rest, Marth."

He started toward the exit-

"S-Stahl," she called out to him, making him stop. He turned slightly to look at her. "You're going to make a wonderful husband and father to a lucky family one of these days. I'm sure of it."

Stahl chuckled. "You think so? Even with my average-ness?"

Lucina smiled. "She'll love your average-ness."

That night, she couldn't sleep. She chose to walk around the camp, and she was not stunned in the least to see many of the Shepherds were still awake. Libra and Tharja were the newest recruits, and Virion seemed to be completely taken in by the Dark Mage. She found Ricken sitting at a campfire, his mage hat on the ground as he simply stared at the dancing flames. Curiosity took over her, for it was strange to see that Robin was not with him. He was so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed she sat beside him.

"Is Robin all right?"

He blinked finally, but kept his eyes on the fire. "She will be. She's sleeping right now." Lucina bit her lip. Sleeping? Robin cried herself to sleep, but Ricken would never tell anyone that. He knew Robin wouldn't want anyone to know. "What about you? You all right?"

Lucina picked up a stick and poked the embers with it. "I will be." She looked at Ricken. "How are you healing?"

Ricken let out a slight laugh. "Marth, you don't gotta worry about me. I'm not a little kid."

"I know," she nodded. "I'm asking as a friend."

Ricken put a hand on his healing wound. "You're always looking out for everyone. Sometimes, I wonder if you're looking out for yourself."

Memories flooded her when those words left his lips. An older Ricken with tired eyes, yet a warm smile still on his face. Standing in front of everyone when others could not. Putting others first before himself. It was comforting to know that this trait was something he always had. Her eyes landed on his silver wedding band, now with a couple of fresh scratches on it from battle. It amazed her at how such a young age, both he and Robin loved just as deeply as those married for years. …She had loved… once.

"Marth?"

"Ah, sorry," she jerked.

Ricken shook his head. "You'd better get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day."

The next morning, everyone was up early, prepared to tread on, despite the heartache. Chrom and Lissa were both exhausted, with their melancholy blatantly on their faces. Robin said not a word, even with Ricken by her side. The next two days, there were no battles, and people used this chance to help each other and lift their spirits. Lucina noticed that her father and aunt were smiling again, and it brought some peace to her heart. A week passed, and the camp had a newfound resolve to end the war in honor of Emmeryn. People trained as hard as ever, using their sadness as fuel for the flames that burned brightly in them.

Then, it was time. In the desert sands, Gangrel and his army awaited for them. As much as Lucina wanted to fight with them, she stayed behind with the ones who lingered in the camp, for Robin felt as though Gangrel would dispatch a small army to the camp.

She was right.

Lucina attacked an enemy before her, killing him instantly. She saw a white Pegasus rush to her side, and when she looked at the rider, she was surprised to see Cordelia, with Gregor, her husband, knocking aside an arrow that had been fired at Lucina. Lucina nodded in thanks, and she broke away from them to help others. Halfway through the battle, she noticed the enemy starting to retreat, but when she saw the direction they were running…

"Virion!" she called. He and his wife, Tharja, had just killed two enemies together and were starting toward Libra to help him when they heard her. They ran to her. "Look! Do you see what I'm seeing?"

"My word…" Virion breathed.

"We have to cut them off before they regroup with Gangrel!" Lucina turned toward the Shepherds in the camp. "Everyone! To me!"

She didn't expect them to listen to her, but they did. She turned around, and they began to charge up the hill toward the enemy; a small smile of gratitude was on her face, but it quickly changed to one of determination. They had to hold them off, for just beyond the hill was Gangrel and his army. As she fought, she thought about Emmeryn. About how she failed to protect her, to keep her from harm. Emmeryn's loving smile drove her, pushed her to keep battling even though her muscles screamed for her to stop. The sand made it all the more difficult to battle, adding to the fatigue everyone felt.

She grunted as she blocked an attack with her sword. The Fighter kept pushing his axe down on her, making her knees nearly buckle. Her arms shook as she struggled to keep upright, her eyes locked onto the Fighter's eyes as he glared at her. With a swift movement, she pushed upward with a scream of fury, twisting her blade to the side that made the axe fly out of the Fighter's hands. He barely had time to react when she delivered the killing blow. All the enemies were dead, and within seconds of their victory, they heard a loud cheering below them. They peered over the hill to see everyone embracing each other, smiles on their faces and tears being shed. Before she could stop herself, she slid down the sandy hill and used the speed she had to take off in a sprint at the bottom. She could hear the rest had joined her, and she ran up to Chrom and Maribelle, throwing her arms around them as tears streamed down her face.

Emmeryn. Her death was not meaningless.

As she hugged her parents, she could see Ricken as he grabbed onto his wife and gave her a long, passionate kiss. She blushed and released Chrom and Maribelle, knowing they more than likely wanted to do the same. Her heart raced when they did, and she knew that now, they could wed at last. All around, those who were married exchanged a kiss, and while she thought about _him_, her heart was overjoyed. A laugh broke from her lips when she saw Olivia embrace Lon'qu, whom nearly fainted at the contact but nonetheless was happy as well.

Lucina took out the cloth and gave it a quick kiss; out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Stahl had seen. She blushed yet again, and he simply smiled, understanding her.

Time would begin once again.


	4. If This is a Dream, Do Not Wake Me

_*For those who have read "A Day in the Life," you may notice I used a certain scene again. There is a reason, for I had intended to use it, as I was thinking about making this a longer story anyway. Oh, and Valerian Root is an herb used for pain, anxiety, and stress.*_

The peace was short-lived.

Lucina expected this, but still it was sad to see it go. It had been two years since she had seen her father and mother, and she had received word that her present self had been born merely months ago. Knowing that baby Lucina was being loved by her parents made her feel odd, but she was happy for Chrom and Maribelle all the same.

When she entered the meeting room at the castle, she was surprised when she saw how much Ricken and Robin had grown over the past two years. The both of them now seventeen years old, they still had some childlike-appearance to them, despite how much they had grown. Lissa, now twenty and a Sage, looked just like Emmeryn, minus for her pigtails. Donnel was now nineteen, and Nowi was still the same perky girl as the day they first met. The rest of the Shepherds were there as well- the ones who had been recruited, that is. Over the span of two years, others had married. Lon'qu and Olivia, Frederick and Sully, and Vaike and Panne had exchanged their vows. It made Lucina exultant to see them together, knowing that one day, they would have children and be a family.

"Thank you all for coming here today," Chrom began, Maribelle standing beside him, infant Lucina in her arms. "It has come to our attention that the Valmese Empire plans to invade us. I need your aid again in keeping this kingdom safe-"

"You have it, my lord," Frederick nodded, interrupting Chrom. Everyone agreed with either a nod or vocally, and the look on Chrom's face was humorous.

"I wasn't finished."

"What else is there to say?" Vaike grinned. "We got your back."

"Hell yeah, count us in!" Sully smirked. "It's been years since I've got to kick some ass!"

Lucina silently stood by. These were the people who fought to their deaths alongside Chrom. She knew now why Chrom valued them so much, and it made her chest ache. Their minds were made up, and they were determined, as always, to help their leader. The next two battles, they acquired two more in their army: Cherche, a Wyvern Rider as beautiful as she was brave; and Henry, a Plegian Dark Mage with a constant smile and an unusual love for death and darkness. During one of the battles, Lucina had received a deep wound to her thigh that would take some time to heal. As time went on, Lucina noticed Lissa spending more and more time with the white haired Dark Mage, as well as Stahl with the red haired Wyvern Rider. In no time, Lissa married Henry, Stahl to Cherche.

But something else happened as well after the battle with Henry. Lucina finally had to reveal her true name to her mother and father. At first, it was hard to believe… that is, until she showed them the Brand of the Exalt in her eye. She had been so scared about how they would treat her, but all her fears were diminished the moment she was embraced by them. It was unlike any dream she ever had, and she felt relieved that she revealed herself.

One day, as they were restocking on supplies in a town, they had heard word of Naga's Tear in dilapidated ruins. Naturally, they were curious to see if it was just myth or truth. Chrom had Lucina stay back in the camp with the others who would not accompany them since her leg was still in the process of healing. She scowled as she limped back to the campfire, taking up a whetstone and sharpening Parallel Falchion. Maribelle wouldn't give her the chance to train with her wound, and she feared she was becoming weak from the lack of fighting and exercise. When her sword was sharpened, she rose to her feet and gripped the hilt firmly in her hands. Surely giving it a few swings wouldn't do her much harm?

She swung once, which felt quite good to be honest. When she fought, she did for everyone. It was up to her to change the world, and little by little, she began to believe she had a chance.

"Tch!" she grunted, a pain flaring up in her thigh that was so intense, she nearly dropped her sword. While thinking, she hadn't been paying attention to how she was moving, and her leg screamed in pain. Disappointed, she sat down on a tree strump, sheathing her blade. Her hands tenderly touched her thigh, and she was relieved to feel no wetness from blood.

"Lucina, there you are!" Olivia smiled as she walked up to her. She saw her looking at her leg, and a frown instantly appeared on her face. "You were practicing again, weren't you?"

"I'll be fine, Olivia," Lucina reassured. "You were looking for me?"

"Oh, yes! Your father has sent me to spread word that they found someone who came from the future!" Lucina's eyes widened and she found herself unable to speak. Found someone? Who? Were they all right? Why couldn't she say anything?! Olivia must have read the expressions on her face, for she continued. "It's a young man. He's sadly lost all his memories, but he's unharmed. They're bringing him back with them." She looked at the hillside, a questionable appearance about her. "I have to wonder, if we've found you and him, then there must be more of them. Well, I'd better keep going." With a twirl as graceful as a swan, Olivia disappeared from Lucina's side.

Lucina could hear the ones who had gone in search of Naga's Tear nearing the camp, making her break away from her stunned state to see the new recruit. Everyone seemed tired, and straightaway, she knew that they had been in a battle. Her father and mother neared her and smiled. Her eyes kept scanning the crowd until she saw Robin and Ricken with someone between them. As soon as she saw the red-haired mage with the Plegian robe, her legs began to shake. It couldn't have been him- she was seeing things.

Her legs shook all the more, and her mind was screaming at her to say or do something, but she kept talking herself out of it… until she no longer could. Her legs moved on their own, first a slow walk, a jog, then an all-out run to him. It didn't matter to her that her leg was injured. It didn't matter when she felt pain seer. She wouldn't stop. She threw her arms around him and sobbed openly, not caring that anyone was watching. Chrom and Maribelle ran to her, concerned; Robin and Ricken gave them their attention, too, not knowing what was wrong.

And him…

Despite him not remembering who she was and in full shock, he wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back with his hands in effort to calm her down. His shoulder became wet from her tears, and everyone was astonished to see her cry so. She was always so strong, and now, she wept loudly. It didn't matter to her that he didn't remember. It didn't matter that she looked like a fool. She had failed him in her timeline, and now that he was here before her, it was too much.

By seeing her in such distress, Ricken and Robin, and Chrom and Maribelle knew why she wept, and while they stayed for support, they let the two have their moment. Finally, her sobs reduced to sniffles, and she pulled away from him. She was taken aback to see that he was no longer shocked by her actions. Instead, he reached up with his hand and wiped her tears away, making her blush. She let out a faint giggle as she sniffled.

"Hi," she greeted, "I'm Lucina."

He chuckled. "My name's Morgan. Nice to meet you. Again, I suppose. Sorry I don't remember…" She smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Well, would you look at that! You're all the more beautiful when you smile!"

Her heart skipped a beat. In their future, he had told her that countless times. Perhaps the gods were giving her another chance… and gladly, would she take it.

"Lucina," her mother gasped, "your leg is bleeding!"

"Huh?" she gasped as she glanced down to see a dark spot on her leggings. "Oh no… I'm sorry, Mother. I suppose-"

"It is all right," Maribelle cut her off with a smile. "Let's tend to it, yes?"

Inside Maribelle and Chrom's tent, Lucina took off her leggings and put on slack pants, keeping her wounded leg out for her Maribelle to examine. Chrom brought in bandages, and just as he turned to leave-

"Father, you can stay. I don't mind," Lucina spoke. "After all, you've changed how many diapers now? Besides, I suppose you would like to hear an explanation."

"I won't lie. I am a little intrigued after a sight such as that," Chrom chuckled. He pulled up a seat and sat beside her. Maribelle used her staff to stop the bleeding, then started to clean the area. Lucina inhaled and exhaled, preparing herself for the story she was to tell.

"In the future I come from… Morgan was killed while protecting me," she nearly whispered. She half expected her parents to reel back in shock, but they merely sat still, listening to every word. It was ticklish, revealing her feelings to them, but she had to explain. "…I was in love with him, and never told him so." Her voice shook, which caught her off-guard. She felt Chrom's hand place on her shoulder, rubbing it gently to comfort her. She reached into her shirt and pulled out the cloth for them to see, placing it on her lap. "This is all I had left." Her eyes went to the tent flap. "I know that he is not the same Morgan, but the moment I saw him… I couldn't help it. When I hugged him… he felt the same." Her eyes moved to her father's eyes, tears brimming. "How does that make any sense?"

For a moment, all was silent, minus for a small grunt from Lucina when Maribelle applied ointment to her wound.

"I think he may just be the same…" Chrom began quietly. "He's not the same Morgan from your timeline, but in his, he went through the portal just like you. He is Ricken and Robin's son- was this so in your time?" Lucina nodded.

"There is a scientific principle," Maribelle piped up. "I'm certain you have heard Miriel speak of it many times. Constants and variables. In both timelines, we are your parents, just as Ricken and Robin are Morgan's parents. The same apocalyptic future is there, as well as the portal of which you two came through. Those will always be the same."

Lucina shook her head. "As many times as that has been explained to me, it still gives me a headache."

"You and me both, sweetheart," Chrom lightly laughed. "But what your mother is saying is that while he is not from your time, he is the same Morgan. Somewhere deep inside, he has those memories you two shared."

"You love him still, I am certain of it," Maribelle smiled warmly at her daughter. "If he died protecting you, there must have been some level of mutuality on his behalf as well." She placed her hand on Lucina's cheek. "Perhaps you could dive into those locked memories, hmm?"

"Mother…" Lucina blushed, happiness in her eyes. "Thank you, both of you."

"I have one question," Chrom spoke. "Do you suppose others came through as well?"

"Since Morgan is here? There is a chance," Lucina nodded.

"Oh, gods. Did Lissa and Henry breed?" Maribelle gasped.

"Br-Breed? Well, yes, Mother, they did. They have a son. His name is Owain, and he's just as… colorful as the two of them."

Maribelle staggered. "I… I am going to need some Valerian Root…"

Lucina let out a giggle, joined by Chrom's laughter.

Little by little, her heart would heal.


	5. Believe in Me

_*Sorry for the lack of updates on this and A Day in the Life. I've been swamped with school, chores, homework, and little bro's ballgames. Thanks for being understanding!*_

It was strange, having him back with her. As much as she wanted to be by his side, she distanced herself from him, unsure on where to even begin. Ricken and Robin treated him just as their own, despite him being the same age as the two of them. It stunned her just how easily Ricken and Robin adjusted to their new role as parents, for the two were just kids themselves. Ricken tried to get Morgan's memory back of him, and just when it seemed hopeless, Morgan recalled one small memory of his father: a simple, loving smile and war-wearied, innocent eyes. Lucina would forever remember that day, for it was when she saw Morgan smile the brightest.

On the battlefield, she made certain he was covered at all times. Ricken and Robin would fight alongside him, but he was straightforwardly just as capable as the Sage and Assassin. This time, as they fought, she couldn't help but notice a young man with a familiar scar on his face. Her chest ached, and though she wanted to embrace him, she knew that could wait. An archer had his sights on the young man, and just as he released his arrow, Morgan rushed to the man's side and cast a barrier, shielding him. He then opened his tome, Arcthunder, and fired a spell at the enemy, killing him instantly. A second arrow barely missed Morgan, and within seconds, Lucina was at his side, pushing him back.

"Get back!" she exclaimed, astonished at how fierce she sounded.

"Huh?"

"I'll handle this! You'll only get yourself killed!"

Morgan cast Arcthunder behind Lucina, killing another enemy. "I'm just trying to help!"

"Well don't!" she shouted. "I've got this under control! Understand?!"

She half expected him to argue back; instead, he gave her a half-smile, turned, and went to fight alongside Ricken and Robin.

When the battle was over and they could finally talk, the young man stared at Chrom, Maribelle, and Lucina, his eyes wide in shock. His blue hair was of the same shade as Chrom's and Lucina's, and the scar on his face was his trademark.

"M-Ma? Pa?" he stammered. "Lucy?"

Chrom and Maribelle jerked, surprised.

"Wh-what did you just call us?" Maribelle breathed.

"Do I gotta spell it out for ya?" he winked. "I'm yer kid from the future! Lucy's brother! Name's Brady." He took a step forward, but hesitated and stopped. Chrom and Maribelle could see his apprehension and smiled warmly at him.

"I have a son," Chrom spoke proudly.

"Yup! Not much o' nothin', but here I am!" Brady smiled.

"How are you my son with such a horrid speech?" Maribelle winced.

Brady stuck his bottom lip out in a pout. Lucina giggled. He was certainly the same Brady. "I ain't never liked that stuffy royal language, Ma." He then looked over to Lucina, and immediately they embraced each other. "I'm glad yer all right, Lucy. I've been worried about ya."

Lucina leaned her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed and a smile on her face as she took in the feeling of her family being together again. "And I you."

When Owain arrived, Lucina was all the more elated to have her whole family back. One by one, her friends started making their appearances, and she was relieved that they were in good health. To see the families together and how well all adjusted to having parenthood thrust upon them was a heartfelt sight. Yet, despite her happiness, she remained distant to Morgan, and she herself was not certain as to why. He kept his distance as well, for he thought that perhaps he had wronged her somehow and did not want to push her further away.

She had never expected him to confront her, and she was not ready for it.

At the campfire, she sat with her legs stretched out. The night air was cool, and the warmth of the fire was welcoming feeling. Her injured leg was almost completely healed, minus for a scar that would forever be on her skin. Deep in her thoughts, she had not noticed that Morgan had come up behind her and sat down on the stump diagonally from her. For a moment, he merely sat there until she noticed him.

"M-Morgan?"

"Hello," he greeted with his usual smile. "We haven't gotten to talk much lately. How have you been?"

She stared at the campfire. "Fine. Yourself?"

"Pretty good," he nodded. "Well, except for one thing." His eyes went to the campfire as well. "Have I… done something to upset you, Lucina?"

Lucina's heart nearly stopped beating. "No."

"Are you certain? If so, please tell me. I would like to try to make amends."

Make amends? For what? For him dying for her? For the way she was treating him when he clearly didn't deserve it? How could she even begin to explain everything to him? He had no memories, no recollection of anything they had gone through. Had he even gone through the same things? She had been so excited to see him return, but when she had time to think about it, her mind became so full of doubt. He wouldn't understand. How could he?

Lucina shook her head. "Many things happened."

He leaned forward, his eyes full of concern. "Such as?"

"Just… things."

The red-haired mage grinned in uncertainty. "Things, huh?"

"Yes."

"What kind of things?"

Gods, he was persistent. She said the one thing she assumed would get him to drop the subject. "You wouldn't understand."

Something happened she didn't expect. She heard him take a sharp intake of breath, then silence. For a moment, she had thought it worked, but then-

"I wouldn't understand?" he whispered, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You know… all of the adults' kids we've found have been telling me that all too often. They look at me with pain-filled eyes and treat me differently… like I'm some kind of ghost." Lucina's eyes widened, but she kept them focused on the dancing flames. "At first, they acted like you. Elated to either the point of tears or just shocked. Now…" He leaned closer to her, but she could feel an emotion from him she never had.

"It's hard to explain, Morgan."

"Is it?" he asked. "…Lucina, I'm sorry. I can't answer for the things my counterpart did or didn't do. I can't reason as to why he died and I'm still alive. Whatever he did… he must have done it for you." She quickly turned her head to him, shock on her face. He stood up and looked down at her, a warm smile on his face. "Don't tell me anymore that I wouldn't understand. Okay?"

He turned and started to walk away, only to see Owain and Brady standing behind him. The air around them became awkward, but Morgan merely smiled once more and greeted them as he walked away. When he was gone, Owain and Brady sat down on either side of Lucina, whom was speechless.

"Well, that was uncomfortable," Brady sighed.

"I… have been wrong all this time," Lucina whispered.

"I think we all have," Owain agreed. "He is one of the noblest people in this army- and I know nobility. Who cares if he comes from an alternate time? He's still the same Morgan I remember."

Lucina rose to her feet, a determined look on her face. "I'm going to tell him everything he wishes to know. I'm not going to hold back anymore or be distant."

"I'll spread the word," Brady nodded. "We gotta make 'im know he's welcome, too."

"Now, you go on after him," Owain grinned at his cousin, only to discover she was already gone to do so.

She found him just as he was to enter his tent. At first, she was worried he would be upset with her, but she swallowed her fears and called out to him. He stopped and turned to face her, and when he saw her, his trademark smile spread on his face. With Robin and Ricken as his parents, she understood why he was as tenderhearted as he was. Robin was always upbeat, and Ricken was as happy-go-lucky as his wife. It only made sense Morgan would be like them, memories or no.

"Yes, Lucina?"

Lucina was silent a moment, her apprehensions nearly getting the better of her. She took a deep breath and a step forward. "Everything you wish to know, I will tell you. We all will. We never meant to make you feel as though you were not capable enough to understand."

Morgan let out a chuckle that sounded much like his father's. "Is that what you came to tell me? I'm fine. If you don't feel comfortable enough to tell me, I'll not press it any further. I just had a problem when people kept telling me I wouldn't comprehend anything." He walked to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "I know that you never intended to hurt my feelings. None of you did. And I know that those memories are painful. If I ask a question, and it hurts too much, simply tell me so, all right? I'll hold you at no fault."

Lucina could not help but to lean her cheek on Morgan's hand, her eyes closed as his warmth spread on her skin. Gods, he was just as considerate as always. Her eyes opened as she raised her head.

"You're still the same," she quietly spoke.

"Huh?"

"As him," she elaborated. "He was kind and considerate, always with a smile on his face. Always putting others before himself." She did not take her eyes off his. "That's why he… that's why he died, you know."

Morgan's hand lingered on her shoulder. "You don't have to tell me this."

Lucina smiled and shook her head. "I'm all right. It's comforting that you are the same."

"Isn't it painful?"

"Perhaps," Lucina nodded. "I also take it as a blessing. Maybe we were given another chance with you."

A small laugh came from him. "Sounds like he was a pretty amazing guy." He took his hand off her shoulder. "Thanks, Lucina. I appreciate this."

"Mm-hm. If you have any questions-"

"Um, actually, I would like to know about you," he interrupted her, a nervous grin on his face. "What did you do to get here? How did it feel to see your family again? Your friends? Oh, and how did you happen to fight for Basilio? And-"

Lucina laughed. "One at a time, Morgan. Well, let's see. Where do I start?"

The night was spent with her telling her story to Morgan, all the while with him listening intently to every word. She did not tell him how he died, for she felt as though that should wait for another time, and only if he asked it. With his excitement, she never wondered if he was bored or uninterested in her tale. Once, she saw Ricken and Robin peek out from their tent at the two, both with smiles on their faces that brought a red tint to her cheeks.

The next morning, despite not getting enough sleep, the two were ready to resume the journey. On their way, they were intercepted by Risen, and a battle ensued. Lucina immediately found Morgan, who was fighting against a Dark Mage and a Myrmidon. Morgan had recently taken the path of Sage, like his father, and was more than proficient in magic. Even though he could more than likely hold his own, she ran to his side and blocked an attack by the Myrmidon, which was then killed by Morgan. Just as Lucina was to charge at the Dark Mage, to the side, a Mage had cast Arcfire at the two. Morgan had seen it, and he cast a barrier around them. However, it was not enough to completely stop the spell, and as it broke through the barrier, Morgan jumped in front of Lucina, taking the brunt of the attack. They lost their footing, and when Lucina glanced back, she cried out to see only trees as the two fell off the ledge.

The gods must have smiled upon them, for it was not too long of a drop. Morgan had been rendered unconscious from the attack, and when Lucina landed near him, she noticed her clothes were on fire. Hastily, she tore them off her, receiving burns as she did so. Before she could do anything, her clothes were nearly all but burnt, and when she realized she was naked, she could have broken into tears from embarrassment. Regardless, her concern for Morgan was greater, and when she tried to stand up to get to him, a pain was on her upper thigh that was so intense, she sat back down. Wincing, she looked down at her thigh to see a third-degree burn on the inside. Her back had a slight burn, as well as a place on her right arm, but the burn on her thigh was the worst injury. Still, she had to see if Morgan was all right. She got on her hands and knees and crawled to him, then sat down beside him. A deep cut was on his face- perhaps from the fall. Like her, he had burns on his body, the worst being on his shoulder, also a third-degree. She wondered if the others knew they were down there, but with all the fighting, she doubted it.

As she examined him, she saw his eyes flicker open, so she sat back and brought her knees up to her chest in her best efforts to cover herself as much as she could. Morgan quickly sat up, grunting in pain as he grabbed his burnt shoulder. He then looked at Lucina and grabbed her shoulders, concern on his face.

"Lucina! Are you okay?"

"I… have some injuries, yes," she replied. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine. Tell me where you hurt," he spoke calmly. She was quiet a moment. In his worry over her, had he had yet to realize?.. He took off his robe and handed it to her. "You're probably cold. What happened to your clothes?"

He _had_ noticed. But, his eyes hadn't wandered, which stunned her. Again, though, that was just the way he was. She took the robe from his hand, and he turned his head as she put it on. "They were caught on fire, so I had to take them off."

She pushed up the right sleeve as he reached to his back to take his healing staff out of its holsters. His face scrunched up in an odd way, and he glanced behind him to see it broken in three different pieces.

"Crud," he groaned. She smiled; another phrase he had inherited from Ricken. "I can heal you, Lucina, but I'm not sure how much. Staves help us to manifest and control healing artes, so without it, this may be tricky."

"You'll do fine, I'm sure of it," she reassured him as he held his hands to her arm. A bright light came from his hands, which then went to the burn on her arm, making it glow. Within seconds, the burn was healed. "There is another burn on my back."

"Okay. Turn around and lower the robe. Don't worry, I won't look."

She did as he requested, and he did the same to her back as he did to her arm. Immediately, she felt relief as the burn was healed. He pulled the robe back up on her shoulders, and she held it closed as she turned around. He noticed her cheeks were reddened, and he was not certain as to why.

"There is one more…" she murmured.

"Where? I'll take care of it."

Her shade of blush intensified. "…My thigh."

"That's no problem. I'll heal that-"

"No, Morgan… it's… it's on the inside of my thigh, close to-"

"Oh. Oh!" This time, Morgan's cheeks turned red. "Um… can you walk?"

"No," Lucina replied. "It is a nasty burn, and it hurts too badly."

"I see," Morgan stated. Then, a reassuring smile took place on his face. "I'll heal it if you wish for me to, Lucina. I can carry you if you do not."

"You're injured, too!" Lucina pointed out, her hand touching under his badly charred shoulder. "With your shoulder like that, you couldn't possibly carry me. It is best that you heal me."

Morgan nodded. "Use my robe to cover yourself, okay? I won't look, I promise."

As embarrassed as she was, she knew she could trust him. "I believe you."

She moved the robe to the side just enough to allow him to examine her burn. The other part of the robe, she kept it there to cover herself. Morgan began to heal the wound, but the light from his hands flickered, and she heard him exhale.

"Morgan?"

"Ah, sorry…" he spoke. "I guess I'm not a hundred percent from the fall."

Her hands went to his. "Then stop. Don't overexert yourself."

He shook his head. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." He resumed healing her. "You weren't kidding, Lucy. This _is_ a nasty wound."

"Morgan?"

"Hmm?"

Lucina stared at him for a moment, his face full of focus to heal her. "It's kind of funny. You wanted to be a Tactician like your mother, but you became a Sage instead."

Morgan chuckled. "Yeah, I know. I mean, I can still be a Tactician one day. Mother has the ability to influence people, and I hope to be more like her someday. Father inspired me as well, with his ability to both fight and heal with magic."

"He certainly has come a long way," Lucina added. "You are in many ways like him."

"Am I? Everyone says I'm like Mother."

"They are not wrong," she began, "but I see much of Ricken in you."

"Aaaaand done!" Morgan beamed. He then plopped on his rear, drained. "Well? Do you feel any better?"

Lucina looked at her thigh to see the burn almost completely gone. Only a small patch of skin was burned, but it felt much better. "Thank you so much."

"I'm sorry I couldn't heal it completely. I'm still learning, just like Father is still being trained by Henry."

"Uncle Henry should become a teacher in magic when this war is over," Lucina smiled. "He's really helped Ricken. I'm sure he could help many others."

She saw Morgan's head turn, his gaze on the brush to the left of them. Despite his enervation, he jumped to his feet, Arcthunder in hand. Lucina started to stand to run for her sword, which was lying at her pile of burned clothes, but stopped when she saw Ricken and Robin come out from the brush.

"Oh, thank the gods!" Robin exhaled in relief as she and Ricken ran to Morgan and embraced him.

"We saw you two fall off the ledge, and we've been trying to get to you," Ricken informed. He took his staff out of its holster and held it toward Morgan, a light engulfing him as his injuries were nearly completely healed (the cut on his face that was along his jawline scarred, as well as the burn on his shoulder). He then knelt down beside Lucina and did the same, the burn on her leg now reduced to a scar.

"Thanks, Dad," Morgan smiled.

"Thank you, Ricken," Lucina spoke.

Robin saw Lucina's pile of burnt clothes, and she understood then why she was donning Morgan's robe. She bent down and picked up Parallel Falchion, then handed it to Lucina.

"Let's get you two back to camp."

She helped Lucina to her feet, and they started back to camp, Ricken and Morgan leading. Lucina couldn't help but to notice just how much broader Morgan's shoulders seemed to be than she remembered them.


	6. A Future to be Shared

Lucina was sitting in the mess hall, gobbling down her breakfast as fast as she could. She had plans for the day, and by the gods, she wasn't going to be late for them. Just as she nearly choked on her orange juice, she noticed that she was surrounded by all her female friends- and each one had a smirk on their faces. Slowly, she put down her cup and glanced around at her friends, eyebrow raised in confusion as they stared at her, not saying a word.

"Can I help you?"

"So! Someone's got a story to tell!" Severa piped up, plopping down on the bench beside Lucina.

"Story?"

"Don't play dumb!" Cordelia's daughter snapped.

"What happened between you and Morgan the other day?" Kjelle asked.

Lucina shook her head, praying that her cheeks would stay their normal color. "Nothing."

"Nothing, huh? You show up only in his robe, and _nothing_ happened?" Nah questioned, doubt in her tone.

"I-It's not like that!" Lucina stammered. "Look, we were attacked…"

She told them the full story, even the embarrassing parts she preferred to have stayed amongst her and Morgan, Robin and Ricken, and Chrom and Maribelle. The more she revealed, the more her friends' faces lit up; Cynthia was nearly shaking in excitement. When she was done, there was an eruption of questions that muddled together.

"One at a time!"

Cynthia danced in place. "Aww, Lucinaaaa! That's so cute! He _totally_ was your hero!"

"Ugh, Cynthia-"

"Hey! He's part of the Justice Cabal, after all!" she cut off Severa sternly.

"He… didn't look at all?" Noire quietly asked. Lucina shook her head. "That sounds like him."

Lucina stood up. "I would love to stay here and talk about personal things with you, but I have to be somewhere." She started to walk away-

"Somewhere with Morgan, no doubt," Nah pieced in. Lucina's cheeks turned red, and she was glad they could not see it as she left the mess hall.

She went to the Mage training grounds, where she found Henry, Morgan, and Ricken all training together. It was a morning ritual for the three of them, and as close as Ricken and Henry were, they were glad to take Morgan under their tutelage. Sometimes, the other Mages would join; however, for the most part, it was the three of them. Many times, she had walked by to steal a glance at how well Morgan was adjusting, but she had never actually stayed to watch. Once, she had witnessed a spell go wrong, and Morgan's hand was burned because of it. Henry and Ricken were so calm, and in seconds, Ricken had healed his son's hand, and they continued as though nothing happened.

Silently, she stood to the side and watched them, amazed at their talents. Again, she thought that once the war was over, perhaps Henry and Ricken should open a Mage school in Ylisse. They were patient, and were great teachers. When they neared the end of their session, Morgan questioned his father.

"Hey, Dad? How come you didn't become a Dark Mage?" Ricken gave his attention to his son, and Henry walked up beside him and put an arm on his shoulder, leaning on his best friend. "I mean, Henry's one- er, well, a Sorcerer. I just thought that it would have been easier for him if you had been a Dark Mage."

Lucina was surprised that she did not know the answer to the question. In the future, she had never bothered to ask, or had even considered it. Ricken took off his hat and held it in his hands.

"Well, it's because I can't be," he replied.

"Can't be? What do you mean?" Lucina asked, not meaning to intrude. They glanced at her, and they motioned for her to join them.

"Hey, kiddo!" Henry greeted.

"Good morning, Uncle Henry," she smiled. "I apologize. I did not mean to-"

"You're fine, Lucina," Ricken assured. His eyes went to Morgan, ready to continue with the answer. "It's as it sound. I couldn't become one."

"Your dear old dad has one of the purest hearts I've ever seen, Morgan," Henry chimed in, his usual smile on his face. "It's too bad! He would have been one hex of a Dark Mage!"

"So, you tried teaching him, then?" Morgan questioned Henry.

"Oh, yeah! Over and over again! Even switched bodies with him to see if it was something he was doing wrong. That was fun! Your mother nearly popped a vein, nya ha!"

"It wasn't funny at the time, but boy, is it now!" Ricken laughed alongside Henry, but due to the Sorcerer digging his elbow into his shoulder from laughing, he had to move his arm off. "She was mad at us for two days straight!" He cleared his throat in effort to become serious again. "Guess my heart was so pure, I couldn't learn dark magic."

"Hmm... Maybe I could learn it?"

Henry shook his head. "No can do, kiddo. You're too much like your father in that department. I could see that when we first met you."

"Oh," Morgan simply stated. He then smiled widely. "Well, hey, nothing is wrong with being Sages! We're still powerful, aren't we, Father?"

"Powerful and handy," Ricken winked. "We can fight and heal. Take _that_, bad guys!"

Lucina could not help but to smile as well.

"Well, I'm hungry! You hungry, Henry?" Ricken suddenly inquired.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat a Risen arm!"

"I'm pretty sure we've got better food to eat than that," Ricken tensely grinned as the two started toward the mess hall, leaving Lucina and Morgan alone. She thought that perhaps they had done so on purpose, with the sudden subject change and all. She turned around to see Morgan wiping the sweat off his brow with a towel, which he then hung on the back of his neck. Until now, she never considered how tiring using magic could be.

"Do you need to eat, too?"

"Hmm? Nah, I'm good," Morgan smiled. "Are you ready?"

"Well, yes, but shouldn't you rest a moment?"

Morgan chuckled. "Lucy, I'm fine."

"All right, then," she nodded. "Let's go catch some bugs!"

He led her to the nearby forest, a satchel to his side and a bug net in her hand. With as much patience as his father had exhibited with him, he showed her how to catch bugs and handle them carefully. When they caught one, he would draw it in a book and write a detailed description about the bug. There were times that she had trouble even going near some bugs, especially those with big pincers, but she swallowed her fears and did so. After catching a Rhinoceros Beetle, she let out a giggle, which made Morgan stop drawing and look at her.

"What's so funny?" he chuckled.

"Just the other day, Brady and I got into trouble for making a huge commotion over a bug that had gotten into the tent," she replied. "And now, here I am, handling them with ease."

"I'd chalk that up as a success story," Morgan beamed. When he said that, Lucina gasped.

"You brought me out here to help me get over my fear!"

"Well, that's partly right," Morgan laughed again. "I also did it so that… we could spend time together."

"Oh," Lucina blushed, her eyes falling to the beetle in the small cage. "Ha, I'd chalk that up as a success, too."

Morgan smiled softly at her, then resumed to drawing the beetle. "Yeah, I guess so. It's just good to see you smile. You hardly ever do so, you know?"

She couldn't argue with him there. Always so serious and concerned with everything and everyone but her own self, she neglected her happiness and would sometimes overwork herself to ensure their contentment. Morgan did so as well, but kept his sunny attitude and amazing smile.

"I don't see how you do it, Morgan," she sighed. "You're always so cheerful, no matter what. I wish I had your upbeat attitude."

Morgan stopped drawing and closed the book. "You can let him go now, Lucina." She opened the cage, and out flew the beetle. "Maybe that's the good part of having no memory. Each experience is my first. I'm amazed by everything, and even though there is ugliness in this world, there is so much beauty in it, as well."

She blushed again. When he said that, he looked right into her eyes. "What about the sad things?"

"I haven't really had to go through those yet. Although, the closest memory I have of sadness is when I met you. You were crying so hard, and I wanted to help, but I was clueless. It made me sad that I couldn't help you."

Lucina reached and placed her hand on top of his hand. "You _are_ helping me, Morgan."

Something happened the moment she touched him. His eyes instantly became far off, as if searching for something. She started to draw her hand back, only to have it grabbed by his hands.

"…Lightning bugs glowing in the nighttime sky… just me and her. She has a sad look on her face, the campfire's glow shadowing her eyes… I want to make her smile… 'Dance with me,' I say, taking her hand into mine. For the first time in days, she smiles. No music, no rhythm… just movement. As long as she's happy, even if for a little while…" His eyes stopped moving, and he shook his head. "Crud. Sorry about that."

Ricken and Robin had told her about moments like this. Every now and then, he would recall something out of the blue, and he would become submersed in the memory, recounting it vocally and almost in a broken manner. He released her hand and rubbed the back of his neck with one of his.

"Do you hurt?" she asked, worried.

"Just my head, but that happens," he answered.

"Who is 'she'?"

Morgan's eyes locked onto hers. "You. Or, a version of you. In my time, that was the first time I danced with you."

Lucina gasped, her eyes wide in shock. The memory he just experienced… it was a memory of hers, too. But, how?

"…Constants… and variables…" she mumbled. "I have that memory, too, Morgan."

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, then opened them. "Maybe it's like Miriel says. Constants and variables." He stood up. "Guess we'd better head back, huh?"

Every day, for a week straight, he would do something to erase her fears and doubts and put a smile on her face. From showing her a butterfly he had caught to flashing his trademark grin on the battlefield just to lift her morale.

"He's crazy!" Brady exclaimed one day, immediately after a battle ended. "He'd hafta be to smile at ya in the middle o' battle!"

"Brady, I do wish you would use proper grammar," Maribelle sighed in annoyance. "It is degrading to your royal pedigree."

"I ain't a _dog_, Ma," he lashed.

"I think I'm starting to see why he's smiling even more than normal," Chrom smiled, glancing at Lucina, whose eyes were on the red-headed Sage standing alongside his parents.

"Oh! Oh gods! Look!" Morgan suddenly exclaimed, pointing out at the field. His outburst made everyone jump, ready for battle again; however, they calmed when they saw nothing. Morgan ran forward and caught something in his hands, then walked to his parents. Lucina, curious, went to Morgan's side, looking at his clasped hands. When he opened them, three lightning bugs were there, their thorax blinking their lights.

"Morgan, you scared us to death," Robin fussed.

"Sorry," he remarked. "But, these are my favorite." He let them fly off, his eyes on them. "Where I came from, there wasn't any left."

"You remember!" Ricken beamed.

"Vaguely," he nodded. "I never would have thought I would miss them so much."

Back at the camp, Chrom and Maribelle noticed that Lucina had disappeared. Although they should have been worried, they were not. They had a general idea what she was doing. When they saw her walking to Morgan's tent with an armload of bug cages, their idea was a fact. Maribelle wrapped her hand in Chrom's and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"He is an exceptional young man, is he not?" she hummed. "He will make her happy, I am certain."

"Yes," Chrom agreed, a bittersweet smile on his face. "I used to fear for her, that her heart was in the wrong place. Now, I see that it is in the best place it could be."

Lucina entered Morgan's tent to see him there, his back to her. He heard the flap open, and he was about to turn-

"No, don't!" she ordered. He froze. "Close your eyes, okay? No peeking!"

"Huh? Lucina, what-"

"Just do as I say."

She saw him cover his eyes with his hands. "All right. Tell me when to open them."

He heard nothing for a moment or two, then… "Okay. Open your eyes."

She knew at once when he opened his eyes, for he was speechless. His tent was lit up with hundreds of lightning bugs Lucina had caught. He stood up and turned to her, his eyes wide with wonder and amazement. A smile spread on her face, an event that was becoming more and more common because of him. Unexpectedly, his smile disappeared, and sadness took place. This stunned her, and she walked to him to discern what went wrong.

"Is this real, Lucy?" he nearly whispered, his voice containing so much pain that it nearly made her break. "I want it to mean something. I just... "I'm not him. I can't _be_ him."

"I don't want you to be him," she spoke. "I want you to be you."

Morgan smiled nervously. "Heh, I can do that all too well." His smile then took on warmth as he stood beside her, both of them looking at the lightning bugs. "You know, I have you to thank for all this."

"Hmm?"

"I started out… pretty confused, wouldn't you say?" he grinned.

"Ha, in no small part because of me," Lucina giggled.

"Yeah, well, that's true," he joked back. "You, Mother, and Father have helped me so much. I thought I only had one goal in life, and that was to become a Tactician just like Mom." His eyes fell to them ground, distant in thought. "It all seemed simple." He then looked up, his eyes on her. "You helped me to see I was part of something much greater. You've always had it all figured out, and I guess that by being around you so much, you influenced me."

Lucina let out a soft hum. "I'm not so sure that's a good thing. I'm uptight and-"

"You've just got too much on your shoulders, is all," he remarked. "You know… I may not be able to remember much of anything about my life before I was found on the battlefield, but honestly, that's okay. If I never fully get my memories back, I won't be let down." He wrapped his hand around Lucina's hand. "I've lived a full life here with everyone, and these new memories I have will be cherished for all my days."

"I have to admit, I know what you mean," Lucina nodded. "The memories I have of the time I herald from are filled with grief and despair. Coming here was only to be a mission. I was not to become involved with my family or anyone. I let my guard down one moment, and that was all it took." She laced her fingers in Morgan's fingers. "These memories I have from this time… no one could take them from me."

Morgan rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand. "We could keep making new memories together, Lucina. You and me."

Lucina laughed softly. "Sounds good."

"Just good? Good was not the word I was looking for."

She laughed again. "It would be better if we weren't fighting this war."

He chuckled. "Okay, but I was thinking more long-term. Like, after this war and for years to come."

She tilted her head to the side, expressing her confusion. "I don't understand."

"This war has to end sometime, and when it does, all of us will go our separate ways," Morgan began. He faced her and kept his eyes on her. "With you, I don't want that. I want to stay with you, Lucina. I do. We could keep making memories, and I would try my best to make you the happiest woman in the world." He knelt down on one knee, reached in his pocket, and pulled out a ring, making her gasp in surprise. "If only… you'll have me."

"Oh, Morgan," she sighed, her face glowing. "You've already made me the happiest woman in the world. Of course I'll marry you."

"You mean it?!" he excitedly shouted, his face now glowing just as hers. She nodded, her face contorting in a smile. "This is great!" He put the ring on her finger, which would need to be resized, as it was a size too large. She didn't care- it was Robin's ring that Morgan had brought from the future. She was amazed that Ricken had chosen such a lovely ring. He rose up and held her hands.

"This is wonderful, Morgan," she beamed. "The future is ours to share!"

Unable to contain his excitement any longer, he picked her up and twirled her around, laughing. "Lucina, I love you!" He sat her feet on the ground and blushed. "Ooh, that's ticklish to say."

"Haha, is it?"

"A little, but I could definitely get used to it." He held her hands and stepped closer to her to where he could lean his forehead on her forehead. "Thank you. So much."

She closed her eyes, and soon felt his lips press against hers. They were soft and warm, and she didn't want them to leave. Despite both their cheeks burning, the chemistry was strong. He pulled away from her, and she embraced him, her head on his chest.

"It is I who should be thanking you," she whispered. "I love you, Morgan." She then giggled. "You're right. It _is_ ticklish to say."


	7. A New Beginning

_*Holy crows, it's been almost a month since I've updated on this! I apologize! _

_As you have noticed, I have bumped the rating up to M as a precaution. I was advised that even the slightest fluff in a T rating is in danger of elimination, and I don't want that. So, um… now that it's M, we'll see what I can do. Never really have written lemon other than F!Robin X Stahl "The Beauty of Scars". So… yeah!*_

_**Lucina's Apprehension**_

She stood in her tent, gazing into the mirror at her nerve-wracked face. In mere moments, she would be walking to her wedding, flowers in her hair as the entire Shepherds' eyes would be on her. Heart beating fast, she wondered if she was ready for this. Yet, when Morgan's face entered her mind, those doubts disappeared, as she _was_ ready. She took a deep breath and turned around- she jumped to see her brother there.

"Brady, good gods," she gasped. "You scared me!"

Brady gave her a happy smirk. "Heh, well, can't help it with this ugly mug o' mine." He nudged his chin toward her mirror, empathy in his eyes. "What, are ya nervous?"

Lucina sighed. "Maybe just a little."

"Ah, I'm sure ev'ryone is on their weddin' day," Brady stated. "I don't reckon Ma 'n Pa were, 'cause they were ready. Uncle Henry told me Aunt Lissa was as nervous as a jitter bug!" He walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't sweat it. You love Morgan, and Morgan loves ya- ain't that what matters?"

For a moment, she could only stare at her brother, his words ringing in her ears. He could not have been more right. A smile spread on her face, and she abruptly embraced Brady. "Yes… thank you, Brady."

Brady's cheeks turned red, as he was unused to gratification and uncertain on how to take it. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get this show on the road. I ain't one fer fancy parties."

Lucina stepped back and giggled. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe you'll get a dance in with Noire before the event is over."

"Eh?" His blush was so intense, it reached his ears. His eyes widened, and he turned his back to her to try to hide his embarrassment. "C-can it, would ya?!"

Laughter erupted from her lips. She then hooked her arm around her brother's arm and pulled him around. It occurred to her then just how fortunate she was to have Brady for a brother, and while she could never be able to tell him how much she appreciated and loved him, he knew all along. "All right. Let's go."

_**A Father's Advice**_

Morgan paced around his tent, the butterflies in his stomach starting to fly up to his throat, which was dry and felt as though he was being choked due to its tightness. He had done the right thing… right? Surely, she knew that he wasn't trying to replace the Morgan she had lost in her timeline. No, of course she did; otherwise, she wouldn't be marrying him. Was he good enough? Was he everything the other him was, or would he let her down? Did she love him, truly? Or was she hoping for his counterpart to be in there somewhere? With a small growl, he kicked a pebble on the ground, knocking it out of the tent.

"You all right?"

He turned around to see his father there, a concerned look on his face. Blush crept along Morgan's cheeks as he diverted his eyes from his father's gaze. "Y-yeah. Sorry about that."

Ricken titled his head to the side. "Oh, I don't know. I think maybe you should be apologizing to that pebble you just showed what for."

This made Morgan laugh. His parents knew just what to say to make someone smile or laugh. "Sorry, pebble."

Ricken made his way up to his son and stood before him. It occurred to Morgan that the little memories he had of his father were always when he was so much more mature. Ricken had grown considerably over the span of two years, but in Morgan's faint memories, he was considerably older and with a chinstrap beard, with his red hair graying a bit due to stress. As far as he knew, his parents were dead in his timeline, so to have them here was a blessing. He never expected to meet them while they were so young, and was even more impressed that they took on the role of parenthood at the tender age of seventeen. Despite their inexperience and age, they were amazing parents, and he knew that when they had children of their own that they would do just fine.

Ricken read his son's eyes and gave him a loving smile. "It's okay to be nervous, you know. I was when your mother and I married."

"Yeah…"

Morgan popped his knuckles, which were sore now due to the excessive popping he had done. Ricken clicked his tongue, realizing something.

"There is something else, isn't there?" he asked.

"Yeah, there is…" Morgan sighed.

"Care to tell me about it?" Ricken suggested. "It may make you feel better." Morgan shook his head, but even without speaking, Ricken understood. "She loves you, Morgan." Morgan's eyes darted up to his, shock in them. How did he…? His father laughed. "Take it from someone who married at fifteen. Love is very easy to see. She knows that you and the Morgan she lost are different people. While she'll always miss him, she loves you and wants to spend the rest of her life with you." He placed his hand on the top of his son's head in a tender expression. "Isn't that enough?"

Morgan stared at Ricken, speechless as his words ran through his mind. He smiled warmly in realization, reaching up to his father's hand and giving it a pat. "Thanks, Dad. I… I think I'm ready now." Ricken gave him a nod, and the two started out the tent. "So, you think Mother will cry?"

"She better," Ricken grinned mischievously. "Henry and I took a bet on which one of our wives would cry first. I bet on Robin, of course."

"Uh-oh, Dad," Morgan gave a tense smile. "I think you've lost that bet."

When they neared the area where the wedding was held, Ricken looked forward and nudged Morgan with his elbow, a smirk on his face. The very moment Robin had seen them nearing, tears started to trickle down her cheeks. Lissa, whom stood beside her along with Henry, was choking back her tears, much to her husband's misfortune. After they reached them, Ricken held an open palm out to his best friend.

"Cough it up, Henry."

"Cough? I don't have money in my stomach, you weirdo!" Henry chimed. "Besides, um, I think my crows ate it all! You know how they get when they're hungry. They'll eat just about anything! Why, one time, they ate the remains of a Risen!"

"Gross!" Lissa shuddered.

"Wait a minute, why are you asking Henry for money?" Robin sniffed as she wiped away her tears. At this, Henry and Ricken froze, awkward smiles on their faces.

"Busted," Morgan chuckled.

"Well, would you look at the time!" Henry beamed, glancing up at the sun. "I'd say it's about the time to start this shindig!"

"Absolutely!" Ricken agreed, his throat dry. "Let's head on inside!"

He and Henry turned around, ready to run when both their wives grabbed them by their ears.

"Owwie!" Henry cried out.

"Ow! Robiiiiin, don't pull it offfff!" Ricken whined.

_**Blessing**_

Her arm still hooked around Brady's arm, they walked toward the tent. Most of the Shepherds were already inside, except for Maribelle, Chrom, and Noire. Noire seemed to have been waiting on Brady, for the moment she saw him, she gave off an anxious smile. Brady gave Lucina's arm a pat, and she unhooked her arm so that he could join with Noire. After Brady and Noire entered the tent, Lucina looked at her parents, who had unconditional love in their eyes for her.

"Mother… Father…" she nearly whispered. "I…"

Maribelle shook her head, a warm smile on her face. "This day is one you shall never forget, my darling." Her hand placed itself around Chrom's elbow. "The day I married was only the start to the happiest moments of my life."

"He is a good man, Lucina," Chrom spoke. "I know that he will take good care of you." Lucina brought her hand up to her chest, where the piece of cloth still was hidden. Chrom and Maribelle both knew she kept it there. Chrom raised his hand and gently placed it on Lucina's cheek, his eyes tender. "Do not allow the past to hold you back, sweetheart. Keep his memory alive, but do not let it cloud your vision of true happiness."

"As we are certain you will find it with him," Maribelle added, taking her hand and wrapping it around Lucina's hand that was up to her chest, but only for a small instance.

For a moment, nothing else was said. She then reached down in her shirt and brought out the cloth, which she stared at with sadness in her eyes. Then, she smiled and gave it a soft rub. "You are right." She lifted her eyes, which were bright. "I'll never forget him, but this is my life now. I'm not afraid anymore. The past does not define me." She held the cloth up and allowed the wind to carry it away. However, she did not watch it or even give it a passing glance. "He's my second chance at a new life. Not even the gods will stop me from being with him." Her arms threw themselves around her parents, and she held them tightly. "Thank you… so much."

She released them, and Maribelle slipped on inside. Chrom and Lucina stood at the entrance, and he crooked his arm so she could hold onto it. It was surreal, having him walk her down the aisle. Despite it being a makeshift wedding, it was more than she could ever have hoped for.

"This is your day, sweetheart," Chrom told her. "…Your mother and I are proud of you."

He opened the tent flap, and the first eyes she saw…

Were Morgan's.

And she knew everything was going to be all right.

_**The Night the Fireflies Glowed**_

During the reception, Gaius and Stahl ate like men possessed. Sumia and Cherche, used to their husbands' hefty appetites and liking for sweets, chose to mingle. Yet, the two men did not miss out any chances to dance with their loves, proving them above food any day. Lucina had been right about Noire and Brady getting to dance together, and when she winked at him, he gave off an intense blush and looked away. During one of the dances, Ricken and Robin found Lucina and Morgan. Ricken held his hand out to Lucina, while Robin curtsied to her son, whom smiled widely and accepted her dance. Lucina took Ricken's hand, and they also began to dance.

Lucina looked up into Ricken's eyes, noticing just how much Morgan shared of his father. She used to think he predominately had his mother's features, but now that she was this close to him, it dawned on her that he had both of his parents in him.

He must have noticed her staring at him. "What is it, Lucina?"

"Oh, nothing," she smiled. "It's just… Morgan favors you greatly."

Ricken laughed. "Nah, he looks too much like his mother."

"Yes and no," she countered. "Trust me, it's a good thing he took after both his parents."

"Speaking of genes, where did Brady get his accent?"

"Well, to be honest, from Donnel," she replied. "Nowi was one of the caretakers over me and Brady, and Donnel was there quite often, too. It's strange, but for some reason, he just picked up on Donnel's speech patterns instead of everyone else's."

The red-haired Sage laughed yet again. "Well, I'll be! Does Donny know?"

"I haven't thought to tell him. He would probably like to know. I say he will get a good laugh from it!"

She and her father-in-law shared a good laugh together. His smile did not fade, and she knew then why Robin loved him so much.

"Lucina," he spoke, "you'll take good care of him, won't you?"

A low hum vibrated in her throat. "I will."

She heard a slight chuckle come from him. "I don't doubt it. Not for a moment." He glanced over at Robin dancing with Morgan. "This is going to be an awesome adventure, wouldn't you say?"

She leaned her head on his shoulder, a smile on her face. If he was unaware that he had brought grace again to his family name, she would be sure to have Chrom tell him so.

When the reception was over, Morgan and Lucina pitched a tent slightly farther away from the camp. Honeymoons during wartime were just not possible, but they would make do with this small fortune. While they pitched it, some fireflies got in, much to Morgan's happiness. Lucina could not help but to smile, thankful for the little things. They lit a kerosene lamp, and Morgan unrolled the bedroll. Lucina felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach as her eyes fixated on the bedroll. They would be sharing it. Perhaps doing other things, too. She blushed, immediately thinking of other things to calm her palpitating heart.

"What's wrong?" she heard her newly-wed husband ask, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, nothing," she tensely giggled. "It's been quite a day, hasn't it?"

"I'll say! I'm just glad to see Vaike's dancing has improved," he joked, making Lucina giggle. "Even Panne was impressed. He should thank Virion for the lessons!"

"You're so mean."

"Maybe a little," he winked. "I think Brady was on cloud nine while he was dancing with Noire. Perhaps they'll be the ones to wed next."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Lucina beamed.

Morgan sat down on the bedroll and stretched his legs out in front of him with a sigh, giving his shins a massage. "Don't ever get shin splints, Lucy."

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you not stretch?"

"I do," he nodded. "…Sometimes."

A sigh came from her as she sat down in front of him, taking one of his legs into her lap and rubbing her fingers along his shinbone. "Ah, I feel them. Those have to be painful." She massaged his leg, surprised to hear a pleasured sigh coming from him.

"I sometimes forget that your mother and brother are healers," he spoke. "You probably learned some techniques from them."

"I help out when I can," she smiled.

He smiled as well. "I'm glad."

"Huh? For what?"

"To see you smiling and laughing more," he answered.

Her cheeks turned red again. "In no small part because of you." She stopped massaging his leg. "All right, now the other one."

"You don't have to do that, Lucy."

"You're right," she nodded, "I don't. But I want to."

He did as she asked, and she massaged it as well. In moments, the pain was a dull ache. "Thanks."

"Mm-hm!"

"Now let me repay you."

She shook her head. "You don't have to do that."

He leaned in close to her, his eyes soft. "You're right, I don't." He leaned in more, and they were so close, their lips were barely touching. "But I want to." His lips pressed against hers then pulled away. Her cheeks burned hot as she watched him take off his Plegian robe and place it over the bedroll. "I guess we should get some rest."

"M-Morgan," she stammered.

"Hmm?"

"Could… could I have another?" she timidly asked. He smiled and gave her another kiss, but as he pulled away, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back to her. The kiss deepened, and she felt his hands on her sides of her face, tender as they pulled her even deeper into the kiss. His tongue skimmed along her bottom lip, as if asking… and she opened her mouth, allowing his tongue entrance, which danced with hers. She let out a low moan, her hands lowering from his neck, down his chest, and to the hem of his shirt.

It was all new, but it wasn't as though it was the hardest task in the world. Basic, primal knowledge that was innate to every person alive. Her hands gave a small tug on his shirt, but she stopped when his lips trailed from her lips and down her neck, barely skimming along her skin. Tiny chill bumps formed on her arms, and her breath hitched in her lungs. Picking up on this, he gave her neck soft kisses, which made her head tilt back, allowing him better access. He put a hand on the back of her head, lacing his fingers through her hair. She was his, and he was hers. Together, they would do this- make each other happy in ways only they could.

He felt her tug on his shirt again, so he raised his arms, permitting her to remove his shirt. She raised her arms next, and he returned the gesture, removing her bra shortly after. His shade of blush turned brighter, and even she covered herself with her arms. She had always thought herself too small, and now that she was exposed, she was nervous as to how he would react. He reached and took her hands into his, pulling them away from herself.

"Don't hide yourself from me," he nearly whispered. "You're too beautiful _not_ to see."

She wasn't sure as to why, but something about his comment flipped a switch inside of her, and she threw herself at him, resuming passionate kisses that made him fall back onto the bedroll. He was warm, and she found herself trailing kisses from his mouth, down his neck, and around the muscles on his torso. She glanced up at him to see his eyes closed, biting his lip in pleasure and anticipation. Her hands went down to his belt, starting to undo its fastening.

And for whatever reason, while the doubts he had earlier were long gone, despite the overwhelming joy he was feeling right now new doubts surfaced. Frustrated, he couldn't help but to be distracted. Just as she started to remove his pants, she noticed something was wrong and stopped.

"Morgan?" she called. She rose up and looked down at him. "What's the matter?"

He could have kicked himself. Rising up on his elbows, he shook his head once. "Nothing. I'm sorry."

"Something is troubling you," she pressed. "I can see it in your eyes."

"Dammit…" he sighed. She was taken aback, as she had rarely heard him swear. "I'm sorry, Lucina. I just… Why me?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

How could he even begin to explain? "I'm… I'm not the person you loved in your time, but you still…" He clenched his robe tightly. "I don't know… am I even worthy of you? You're the princess. You came solely just to prevent an apocalypse. You're a hero, and people look up to you." He looked to the side, his eyes full of doubt. "I think I came here by accident. I'm no hero, no one special. So, why me? You deserve better."

She expected herself to be angry with his self-loathing, but she wasn't. Instead, she reached up and started running her fingers through his hair.

"You don't think you're worthy of me?" she questioned. "You're wrong. Morgan, you had no memories, yet you chose to help us. You've saved and changed lives… including mine." She leaned down, her forehead on his forehead. "So what I'm a princess? So what I came to this time? So did you and everyone else, and that means I'm no better or different. It doesn't matter if you don't remember why you came here, or how. What matters is that you stayed." She closed her eyes. "You gave me a reason to smile. You gave me another chance." Her lips connected to his for a second. "If that doesn't make you worthy, I don't know what would."

"Lucina…" he breathed.

"Now, no more doubting yourself, okay?" she beamed. "I- mmph!"

What followed was a night of passion. Each sigh, each moan, each 'I love you' that was shared was only for the two of them to know. They felt each others' bodies in ways that would make the gods blush, and they were thankful they were somewhat far from the camp. He loathed hurting her when they first started, but that soon wore off as they worked through it together. He made certain that she knew just how beautiful she truly was, as she assured he would know how handsome he was. With each release she was granted, her moans and calling of his name was perhaps the best music he had ever heard, and he did his best to get her to where he could hear it over and over again. When she was spent, it was his turn, and with his release, she smiled when she heard him sigh her name in her ear.

Sleep came quickly for her, her head on his chest and his arm around her. He watched the lightning bugs as they flew around, their lights reminding him of a dance in the darkness of the night.

Her eyes opened the next morning, greeted with his sleeping face. His robe was draped over them, and she leaned up slowly so as not to wake him. She grabbed the first thing she felt, which was his shirt, and put it on, astonished at how sore her body felt. Surely it wasn't because of… A slight smirk spread on her face. Perhaps in time, she would not be sore after anymore. Silently, she watched him a moment as he slept, thankful to the gods for him. And when his eyes opened, they focused on her. A sleepy smile took form as he reached up, taking a strand of her hair in his fingers.

She smiled.

_*Hoo, boy, this was a long chapter! Sorry about that! Anyway, um… yeah, I hope you enjoy! ^_^*_


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